Kenwood KDC348U Review

The KDC-348U from Kenwood is a really good solid cd/Reciever. It shows a lot of promise, and it does sell very well.

Average retail is about $130.

Features:

Front USB/AUX provides easy access for iPhone/iPods, mp3 players, etc.

Plays MP3/WMAs CD, along with burnt ones.

1 Year warranty

--New Feature is the 13 Digit Display--

--New Feature (3) 2.5 Volt RCA PreOuts--

--New Feature is the ability to add Sirius Satellite Radio, HD Radio, and a cd Changer--

Other Features:

This radio add a whole assortment of features. The ability to plug satellite radio, hd radio, and a cd changer is pretty good. For the Satellite radio you will need two pieces, the SC-C1 and the KCA-SR50. If you wanted to add hd radio you will need the KTC-HR300. If you wanted to add a changer you can, but with the biggest changer 10 Discs. You get let see. 10 Discs * 20 songs a disc that equals to 200 songs. Plug your iPod or mp3 player in the Front USB or AUX and you get to have 5000 songs or more.Plus the songs change faster to the next song as compared to the cd changer. And you can take you mp3 player with you when you get out of your vehicle.

The Display now is back to the Red/Blue design, which is pretty cool. The USB and AUX is now highlighted in blue, along with the volume and src buttons. The channel presets are red, and arent too bad on the eyes.

The internal menu system is still easy to use, just a few new features have been added, but usually they arent used, unless you have a full system setup, ie 3 or more amplifiers, woofers, speakers.

The 3 RCA preouts now give you the ability to add 3 amps, or a 4 channel amp and a bass amp. You can add more if you want, but thats where signal processors start coming into play, and upping the cost.

The sound from this radio, to me, sounds alittle cleaner, not to say the other radios this year sound bad. Just with the added preouts, and other features, it seems to be a good solid radio. It has nearly everything you would want in a car stereo.

Installation:

As with other models you should have no problem putting this radio in. There are more plug ins in the back, ie, the 3 rca preouts, the din cable plug in for satellite, changers. That plug in seems to take up alot of room. Mainly because of the angled connector, from the changer, satellite, and hd radio, that plugs in the back. You have to turn the plug upside down and because of the size of the cable, you have to make sure when you slide the radio in the cage, that big din cable doesnt catch on the top of the cage.

Conclusion:

The KDC-348U is a really good radio, for the price. The extra power on the preouts, might not make too much a difference, but it will give that little edge when using quality amplifiers. The blue in the blue/red display, seems to break the monontany giving a seemingly soothing feeling as compared to red displays.

If you are looking for a radio, that has a lot of the features on an expensive radio but without the price, and still keeping the "ease of use" factor going, then this radio is the one to get.